The talk will present results from ongoing studies in Barkley Canyon, at the Pacific NW continental margin, and from canyons at the Iberian continental margin. It will give an update on the challenges and opportunities of Neptune Canada, elaborate on the concept of mission planning for internet operated vehicles and present the new research program ROBEX (robotic exploration of extreme environments--oceans and planets)and its implications for OOI. The second part of the talk will focus on cold water corals and pollutants in canyons.